New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-16
THE SCIENTISTS KEPT BUSY.
MANY IMPORTANT PAPERS READ.

PAPER on THE PYR OMAGNEflC DYNAMO
The scientists settled dow to work again yester-
dav at Columbia College, and more solid business
was transacted than at any of the previous session.
The mechanical engineering and political economy
sections joined forces the afternoon and went into
q highly interesting discussion OF the problem OF
transit the lsthmus with especial reference to
the Nicaragua route. The section on physics had its
hands full; With two papers the inventor Edison,
one OF them a description OF an entirely novel
electrical machine. the pyromaSnetic dynamo. Tor
generating electricity FROM waste fuel heat, on
which the Wizard OF Meno Park is still working.
The botanists and entomologists took run III the
afternoon down to Sandy Hook with the rorTey
Botanical Club and the Staten Island Natural Science
Association, to look into the alleged bora anu "una
OF the New Jersey Coast Late In the afternoon some
of the mechanical engineers went over 10 tne Inn
tourthst station of the Third Avenue Elevate" hai'-
,o.d IN neu electrloaI motor working on trial
on the Long Island Ferry branch Inc american
Academy OF Sciences met in the evening at Ooluhoia
College and gave the association al iniormai recep
ton Professor Drummond entertained the company
with his explorations in Africa for WHILE and after
that there we're refreshments and general hand,
Smoking Altogether the day was crowded iull CT
business and entertainments
The association will hold ts closing sessions to-day
and many interesting papers arc promised. New
officers will be- elected and the annual reports
ncesented The New-York Central Railroad has
offered the scientists special rates to Saratoga and
back from W sdnesday to Saturday. Many members
OF the association from the West and South Will
probably take the trip before going hDme.
The ioint meeting of Sections and III took place
in the Law School Building Yesterday afternoon to
discuss the Nicaragua Canal project. Four papers
we're read by naval and engineering experts. En-
gineer Menocal of the United States Navy, who made
the Government survey in 1855. was expected to be
present and take part in the discussion lie tele-
c,apbed that he had been taken sick and could not
come HIS chief assistant in the survey. Civil
Engineer r. +. Peary, OF the United States Navy,
cave Mr. Men ocals views ant added some OF his own
President c. NJ n oodward, OF Washington University,
st. Louis, was chairman of the JOINT session.
COMMANDER TAYLOR ON isTHMIAN TRANSIT.
Commander Taylor, OF the United States Navy,
opened the discussion with paper on The general
question of Isthman transit" Many routes. he said
had been Examined across the 1sthmus-the Atrato
San Bias. San Miguel, Panama. Cbiriqui, Nicaragua,
Fonseca, Tehuantepcc. Oh these only three had
been gravely considered, a seaeyel canal at Panama.
a lock canal at Nicaragua and ship railway at
Tehu antepec
lass failure The debt of the Panama Canal Company
was now about S35O.000 600, and its interest and
other fixed charges were nearly S2O,OO0,OO0 annual
ly. Less than one-fitth OF the work had been done
and tie most serious difficulties had not yet been
even attacked. The ship rail way at Tehuantepec
promised to be as disastrous failure the Panama
Canal. Most engineers andshipbuilders doubted the
praccability OF the project. The earnest oehet IN
this project by its promoter the late Captain Eads
and his past successes would, perhaps, give some
credit to the railroad scheme but its cost could not
fall much under 800, 100000, and the tolls on
vessels would have to be enormous to pay even small
dividends Transportation OF freight on narrow
gauge railroad would be preferable. The Panama
Canal would not be available tor sailing vessels be-
cause of the tongue shaped region of calms, whose
base rests on Panama Bay and which comes to q tip
hundreds of miles west of Panama near the Equator
These Gains did affect Nicaragua at all, the winds
at the canal openings being favorable both for entry
and exit
channels of trade not now recognized. Chill and
Peru would be brought nearer 20 Nem-York than San
Francisco and New-Orleans and Callao would be
made close mel ghoors. The water power furnished by
Lake Nicaragua would great industries to
spring Up on ITS shores. The town OF BritO at the
Pacific entrance to the canal would extend inland to
the lower lock, and Louis Nspoleons prophecy In
1916 OF the future greatness OF this spot would be
fulfilled. "rhe State of Nicaragua" said Napoleon,
can become, better than ConstantiDope the neces-
sary route of the great commerce OF the world, ana
is destined to attain an extraordinary degree OF
prosperity and grandeur"
The international question was simple enough. The
canal would have to be neutral. Nicaragua and
Costa Rica, though small States, were courageous,
and in preserving that neutrality would have the
moral and material support OF stronger nations. The
Cl1yton- BuIwer Treaty between the Unite States
and England guaranteed the security of the canal
though such agreements less TO be relied on than
the good sense of modern nations. Had the treing
buysen-Zavala Treaty been ratified, Government
would have taken up obligations and duties of i'm
portaDce and would have gaiied certain advantages,
political, military and naval, to enable 1t 10 fulfil
those obligations.
Nicaragua Lake was of vast Importance
fleets great strategic base, and the United States
ought to be willing to take 1t under control As tor
the construction of the canal 1t would be benefited
by tue absence OF Government influence. The enter
prise had planted itself firmly a commercial under
taking, needing no Government subsidies or guaran-
tees and showing all the elements OF striking
THE DETAILS OF THE NICARAGUAN PROJECT.
Engineer Pearys paper went into the details Of the
kiearaguan project His subject was The engineer
Ing features of the Nicaragua Canal" Following 10
an abstract of what he said:
The Nicaragua Canal known by name probably to ninety
nine out OF every 100 persons in this conny but the
Tsy!sea IVs.e she % GssscaW sS9 sae new
y the United state. Government, expedition charge
Known and Of them Will .peat The d.sancs from ocean
% o the
he Rio san juan and the valley Of the no san francisco
Beginning al the port Of Brto on the Pacific se the cana,
ting through low divide" Lake Nicaragua 1927
then the lake which forty miles
Juan distance Of y.siI and hall miles Then down the
broad deep reaches Of the majestic san Juan to the dam
feet high backs the water of the the entire
the fake and makes 1t simply extension Of the
lake.
north bank OF the above the dam short
canal miles long through the
hills shaped valley OF the Rio francisco lying
north o. the San Juan and separated from it by range Of
hills emDankment COCO feet long and fifty feet high
centre built the OF the Y foods this valley
level OF the above the dam and makes about ten
miles OF lake navigation.
end of this lake begins the eastern division
the divide by Ia 200
long and averaging 49 feet depth AT the end of
mi; the upper lock Of the Atlantic flight and from here
level and stretches tie back Of
harbof. IL miles distant From the last
lock Greytown the at Bro the side the
enlarged forming Of the harbor lily
miles inland
the must form part Of and every
through and the location whole
the OF Civil Engineer Menocas complete and exhaust
i've personal knowledge the country
gained in the of eight different extend
period OF fifteen supplemented
cenous study all that has been done by others In that
miles OF actual about
miles and simple while the remaining
thirteen miles Will be largely entirely excavated by
dredgos